The Battle of Wills

The hydra crashed into the wall, sending debris and people flying in every direction. Its remaining heads gobbled the humans who flew through the air, consuming them whole. Pink stone crumbled under the weight, forcing the humans still on the battlement to either retreat or fall to the horde below. 

Screams. Chaos. Untold Carnage. 

Noble felt emotional signatures fading from her senses faster than she could register them. Her heart filled with frustration as the connection to those left became stronger.

The warrior's body reacted before her mind could catch up. 

She funneled essence into the Zenith, making it glow more darkly than ever before. 

Rushing forward, she aimed for the nearest enemy that she could make bleed. 

The seventh head. 

It shot toward her at the same moment, its mouth open wide to receive the eager meal. The yellow eyes realized too late just how misguided they were.

With prejudice, the floating woman flew at the creature's fangs, darting up at the last possible moment. The Zenith struck between the two yellow eyes, and the Supreme weapon did what it was designed to do: kill. 

The force of the impact crushed the skull and pierced the weakened skin. But Noble did not stop, she continued down toward the body of the beast, feeding off of the abomination's hatred as she went. 

Her feelings were not her own, but for the moment she did not care. 

Just like the times before, the moment the head was damaged, its host began to reject it. Noble ran the length of the vile creature cutting through its tail without ever reaching the hydra. 

The flap snapped shut over the hole before she could reach it. 

Noble felt a sense of hopelessness mix into her anger. It was likely coming from the soldiers on the wall, who had no defense against the overwhelmingly superior being. Even though they continued to make their last stand, Noble knew the despair forming in their hearts. 

Only a few, like the slightly insane Master Chip, seemed immune to the desperate situation.

Not even Noble could completely ignore the voice deep down that was predicting her failure. 

She had to fight! 

The sight of Jet drawing near gave her hope. Soul Reaper looked heavily injured, but her speed was as impressive as ever. The woman again mounted the lowest leg of the hydra and began to climb towards the only point of attack. 

The hydra's shoulders.

If Jet could still fight in her battered state, so could Noble.

It wasn't like there weren't plenty of enemies to vanquish. She had countless to choose from. 

Already another Fallen Monster was about to sacrifice its agency to its master. The oversized adder slithered up to take its place where a tail should be.

Noble's eyes lit with determination. 

"You want to die? Let me help you out." 

In the moment between when the flap opened to accept the new vessel and when the tail firmly attached, Noble struck. 

The power still coursed through the Zenith like an addictive drug, but Noble ignored the consequences. All she cared about was that the adder died. 

The head separated from its spine, covering the world below in a shower of blood. 

Both parts of the serpents writhed in disbelief as they plummeted to the ground. 

Noble's eyes opened wide. 

The snake had triggered the flap to open, but it had never made contact. Right before her, there stood a gaping hole into the Titan's torso. 

Part of her wanted to plunge into the chasm before it could close, but her gut told her that she did not have the strength or powers to do what needed to be done. 

Soul Reaper was named that for a reason. Surely a Saint had a better chance of bringing the Titan down.

'Jet!' Noble screamed through the Memory. 'The back! It's open!' 

Soul Reaper turned her head to look just as one of the dastardly fangs threatened to bite off her head.

Noble felt her attribute activate. Jet was part of the people she cared about.

Reality seemed to twist slightly, and Jet barely managed to lean back in time to avoid the fang scraping across her cheek…or worse.

Recovering her balance, the Saint slid along the slope of the hydra's back aiming for the opening.

But she wasn't the only one. Another adder was heeding the call of its master, obediently making its way to take up the tail.

Noble flew at the dazed creature. It ducked away from her initial jab, buying Jet precious time.

Soul Reaper did not waste the opportunity, pushing into her speed.

Just when she seemed like she would slip off and sail into the air, the Saint lowered her scythe. Sparks trailed behind her as she slowed.

Noble stabbed at the Fallen serpent, knocking it from the surface of the Titan. She looked up just in time to see the wraith slip into the darkness.

Noble wished her well. She wished it would be enough. She wished the Titan would be defeated.

The hydra recognized the intruder a moment later.

It let out a wail between a hiss and a roar. The Titan crashed into another section of the wall, crumbling more of the shiny stone.

Noble felt her [Kingdom Keeper] attribute pulling her in every direction. It was becoming uncomfortable. Was she supposed to follow all of these tugs on her soul or just let the attribute do its work?

The former was impossible, so she hoped the latter would be enough.

'Stay alive, all of you!'

Noble needed to stay alive too. Too many people were counting on her—

Including the Saint trying to rescue them all by battling in the belly of the Titan.

The destruction of the wall crushed many of the lesser abominations and attracted even more. Those who were not already attacking the humans swarmed, answering their master's call to destroy the intruder.

Noble was determined not to give them the chance to fulfill the murderous order.

A golden-haired Symncus manifested on the ground in a torrent of sparks.

"Helios! Hold them back. Don't let them get up there!" Noble pointed.

Helios roared, batting away the first attacker with a dismissive swat. The Master nodded. 'Good boy.' 

Together they defended their comrade.

Noble slashed and cut viciously with her dark blade; her echo ripped and tore with his teeth.

Many abominations perished and many more were wounded trying to climb the legs of the Titan. Those who survived the initial strike from the Zenith were filled with an inexplicable fear, one that Noble used her Ability to magnify.

[You have slain a Dormant Monster…]

[You have slain an Awakened Beast..]

Paralyzed by the foreign emotion, the creatures' minds broke.

Noble kept going, feeling her essence draining at an unprecedented speed.

Soon she would have none left.

Would she still be able to float?

Filled with the power of the Zenith, Noble found she didn't care.

All that mattered was staying alive in the moment and destroying the ones who wanted to harm those she loved.

Additional adders found their way onto the hydra, forcing Noble to adjust her position.

She hovered above the opening, defending it from every direction including above.

Without the help of her echo, she would already be overwhelmed, but with him, she managed to hold the line…barely.

Desperate minutes passed. The symptoms of essence exhaustion became more acute. Noble could feel her body on the brink of breaking.

Still, she fought.

Finally, she had to admit that she was coming to the end of herself. She was a powerful Master, but her resources were being pulled in too many directions.

The dark energy emitted from her Zenith wavered.

Noble felt her vision waver too.

Suddenly, everything changed.